offers freely such moral training; that it teaches the moral duties of man, as they are Divinely declared in their revealed purity-and that it enjoins them under the sanctions of the Gospel of Christ. But this is not all. The very notion of a visible church implies positive institutions, for if you take these away, you lose the very notion itself. And thus, from observing the obvious uses of a visible church perpetuated in and by these institutions, we can see the importance of them, since, without such, we could not have the advantages which the Christian Church has been fitted to supply. Why such particular ones were fixed upon, rather than others, is a matter with which we have nothing to do.

You will observe, that all that Butler contends for in this part of the chapter is, that by means of the offices of the church and its teaching of revealed religion, moral duties are far better taught and enjoined than under the light of nature. It is not to be overlooked, that the more clearly the moral law is taught in its purity, the more needful is it to teach the great truths of redemption through Christ, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit-the law is the schoolmaster to bring men to Christ. Both Law and Gospel, in all their fulness, belong to the teaching of the Church of Christ. There may, however, be a kind of secondary morality which has its social uses, and even in this lower sense, the importance of Christianity may be considerable in securing the order and promoting the prosperity of a community—and the church may be a great temporal benefit to many who do not partake of its spiritual blessings. These indirect and secondary influences of the Christian Church may not be so fully appreciated as they deserve, and it may be difficult to estimate their intrinsic value, but it cannot be doubted that they are real and are not to be overlooked in the consideration of the importance of revelation.

The objection which is founded on results which belong to the perversion of Christianity, and the allegation that it has had but little good influence, cannot be insisted on upon any principles but such as lead to downright atheism. It proves too much, and would overturn natural as well as revealed religion. The genuine good effects have been often underrated or overlooked—the supposed ill effects have been as often exaggerated, and even when undeniable they are properly ascribable to the false pretence of Christianity, which is itself in no degree chargeable with them.

There is a weighty principle, which he states here as fundamental in all reasoning upon natural as well as upon revealed religion, that the dispensations of Providence are not to be judged of by their perversions, but by their genuine tendencies; not by what they actually seem to effect, but what they would effect, if mankind did their part; that part which is justly put and left upon them. He applies to both cases the solemn and monitory words of inspiration-" He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still."

The moral evil which abounds, the occasional prosperity of the wicked, and the various moral disproportions which this life does not rectify, could not supply valid arguments against natural religion. The corruptions, perversions, idolatries, and ungodliness of man, prove unmistakeably his moral debasement-his need of God's salvation,-but they cannot be used as reasonable proof that God's government of the world is not moral, and that man is not subject to this government.

God's method has been to give light sufficient for such as desire to see, and obscurity for all who love darkness better than light. The general rule of His government is to forewarn and to admonish-there is no compulsion to enforce obedience. We act on our moral responsibility, and as accountable to the righteous judge of all the earth.

The importance of Christianity having been shewn even to this limited extent as an authoritative publication of the law of nature, with new light and other circumstances of peculiar advantage adapted to the wants of mankind, he suggests that the nature of the case requires, and all Christians are commanded to contribute by their profession of Christianity, to preserve, extend, and perpetuate it, for the good of mankind. Each is called on to unite in the public profession and external practice of it; some by instructing-by having the oversight, and taking care of this religious community-the Church of God. And the danger which must attend our neglect of it-where in its very nature it requires each to help according as he may be enabled, in the support and extension of its system of gracious instruction and Divine ministration, this shews its importance in a practical sense. It appeals to the conscience, and bears on the conduct of every professing Christian. Disregard or neglect is the sinful omission of what is expressly enjoined us for continuing those benefits to the world, which this Divine system was intended to confer.

With what a dignity does he thus invest the Christian Church; what privileges and responsibility devolve upon its members?

In our Association here, I am very thankful to find that we are promoting the gracious purposes to which Butler has so solemnly called our attention-by moral instruction, by spiritual and intellectual improvement. And all this is carried on decently and in order, with the active assistance of respected ministers of our Church, and the support and sanction of the venerable and esteemed metropolitan, our worthy Archbishop. Here you have precious opportunities—may they be used for your own advancement, the benefit of our country, the good of the Church, and the glory of God!

In the part, which it is my privilege here to take, I humbly desire to give you what aid I can, in this goodly work of Christian cultivation. We have been dealing with the mystery of man and of nature, and we have now entered on the subject of revelation. We find man (to use the words of Pascal)"the glory and opprobrium of the universe.”

"How is this entanglement to be unravelled? Nature confounds the sceptic and reason the dogmatist. Where, oh! man, shall end all your vain researches into your real condition by the force of natural reason only? You cannot but fall into one or other of these sects; you cannot remain permanently in either. Learn, then, O! proud being, the paradox which you constitute. Humble yourself, vain reason. silent, weak nature; know how man infinitely surpasses man; receive from your great Master the secret of your true condition, of which you are so ignorant. Listen to the words of God."

Be

LECTURE II.

IMPORTANCE OF REVELATION-CONTINUED.

IN the part of this chapter which has been under our consideration, Butler has discussed the question of the importance of Revelation, with reference to Natural Religion. He has shewn that the service which has thus been rendered is such as to make it unreasonable in those who profess to believe in the moral system of the world, to call in question the importance of a dispensation, by means of which that moral system has been so cleared, and reformed, and placed on such a sure foundation. What is it which these objectors allege? "They say" (as De Quincey so happily remarks) "that they want no revelation, because the light of nature is sufficient to guide us to all that is necessary to be known respecting what we are to believe concerning God, and the duty which God requires of us; either not knowing or wilfully concealing that the light of which they speak is not the light of nature at all, but a light emanating from the very revelation which they undervalue. We want no sun, they say, in substance; the ordinary daylight is quite sufficient for all our